By all accounts "The Great Santa Claus Switch" is one of if not the earliest Christmas special made by Jim Henson and the Muppet crew, and it does clearly look like an early effort. However, of all the Muppet specials I've watched during this week, this is the one must-see.
The Muppet designs are already all kinds of adorable. You can see the seeds of better-known, later Muppet productions and characters. (Thog and Gonzo look and act a little odd but they're already endearing.) And oh, how I love the central image of Muppet monsters gradually overtaking Santa's workshop. This special is the best and I'm so happy to have found it.
Happy Holidays everyone!
